How to Vet Your Cloud Hosting Provider

Cloud hosting servers

Using cloud hosting services is one of the savviest business moves a company make nowadays. Cloud servers save money, make a company more efficient, and are far less likely to go down than other web host services. Basically, cloud hosting servers are a must have utility in this new digital economy.

However, that doesn’t mean your cloud hosting service is necessarily a must. With so many other companies out there offering the same exact product and service, how do you know yours is necessarily worth what you’re paying? What if there’s another company out there who can provide a better quality cloud hosting service for less?

If you want to stay ahead of the competition, you need to evaluate your web hosting service, and find a better one if they’re not pulling their weight. Here are a few tips to help.

Do They Meet the Latest Security Standards?

One of the most important things your cloud hosting service needs to do is meet the latest security standards. Though it’s a daunting task for any company, it’s an absolute necessity. Hackers’ arsenals are only getting more complicated, and your cloud hosting service needs to keep up. If they’re standards don’t meet Safe Harbor or SSAE 16 standards, drop them.

What’s Their Track Record With Breaches?

Just as your cloud hosting service needs to follow the latest security standards, they also need to have a proven track record of keeping their clients’ data safe. According to one recent study, the average cost of a data breach has risen 15% over the past 12 months, so when you vet your provider, demand to learn about their track record.

Do They Offer the Option of Providing You With a Dedicated Solution?

One of the ways to mitigate the security risks of cloud hosting is to use a dedicated server solution, which is sometimes called a private cloud. These have the same benefits — the same servers, the same firewalls, etc. — but are used by a single customers. That way, your business doesn’t have to worry about other, less secure clients your service might have.

If you have any questions about vetting your service provider, feel free to ask in the comments. Links like this.